Type slug end cutter



Feb. 20, 1945. c. w. CURLE ET AL TYPE SLUG END CUTTER' Filed Oct. 31, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TORS D M A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 20, 1945. Q w, cURLE ET AL 2,369,947

TYPE SLUG END CUTTER Filed 001;. 31, 1941 7 Sheets-SheeflZ INVENTORS HARLES W. CURL! HEOOOEE' C. CURLE RAY f. NEWTON TTORNEYS.

Feb. 20, 1945- c. w. CURLE ET AL TYPE SLUG END CUTTER Filed Oct. 31, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TORS. w. 0024: c. cu/eus NE w TON 0 M ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 20, 1945. CURLE ET AL 2,369,947

TYPE SLUG END CUTTER Filed Oct. :51,

1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 JNVENTORS CHARLES W. CURLE THEODORE C CURLE NEWTON z? z'r ATTORNEYS Feb. 20, 1945. c, CURLE ET A 2,369,947

TYPE-SLUG END CUTTER Filed Oct. 51, 1941 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 T'J'E-fi- 52 32"" 1:511 47 27 22. a if $46 1 I 37 A as 35 l CHARLES ZE FPP THEODORE C. C'UELE AY l: NEWTON ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 20, 1945. c, w, CURLE ET AL 2,369,947

TYPE SLUG END CUTTER Filed Oct. 31, 1941 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 S S mfi w E N Euu R Vce 0 N w T I 0T we A M moF 40 m A Feb. 20, 1945.

C. W. CURLE ET AL TYPE SLUG END CUTTER Filed 001:. 31, 1941 7 Sh'eetsSheet 7 711500025 0. 0021.5 EA Y F. NEVW TON TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 20, 1945 Charles W. Cur-1e, San Francisco, Theodore C; Curle, Ross and Ray F. Newton' SanFranciscn,

Calif.

Application: October-31, 1941,. Serial No. 413,348

6 Claims.

The present invention relates-to thev trimming of type slugs as; they: issue from a line casting machine, and. particularly to a machine for cutting ofi theends of the slugs to'makethemsquare and parallel witheach other, and to produce'slugs of equal length.

The machine of the present invention: is designed for operation inv conjunction with a side trimmer and a low slugger ofthe types: disclosed in our cc-pending. applications, entitled Type slug side trimmer; "filed ctober 31, 1941, Serial Number 417346, and: Type slug low slugger, filed. October 31, 1941, Serial Number 417,347. It is adapted, however, for use with any slug trimming mechanism, or may, if desired, be used independently of such mechanisms.

It is the-object of the invention to provide an end cutter for type slugs embodying improved mechanism for gripping a slug presented to it,

for drawing the slug into engagement with: spacedcutter members, and thereafter for stacking the cut slug in a galley or the like.

A further object i's'the provision of means for adjusting both cuttermembers, one in steps to accommodate slugs of different lengths, and the other in small increments to produce an overall length for the finished slug of any desired measurement;

A further object is the provision of a. ma-

chine of the character described which will reand parts in section, to: illustrate certain: features of construction;v

Figs 3 is a. sectional view taken lII--III of Fig.- 2;.

Fig; 4 is a sectional view taken IV-IV of Fig; 3;

Fig; 5" is a sectional viewtaken \L-V' of Fi'g. 3';

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along VIVI of Fi 5;

along." line along line along line line ' Fig. 'Tisa-view like Fig. 5'; but illustrating'only i the two. gripping: jaws;

Fig. 11 is a: section taken through; the power transmission housing. illustrating the drive mechanism;

Fig; 12 is; a. detail View; illustrating; inend ele vation. the: gripper operating: cam; shown. in Fig.

11, and alsoillustrating the: means. bywhich it is; clutched: f or: single; cycle operation to the constantly moving drive! mechanism; and- Fig.v 13 is a'secticmtaken' along line XIII-XIII of: Fig; 12, with pants: broken away.

Referring to Figs. 1;. 2 and; 6;. the end cutter of the present inventicmis: shown; as; comprising a. shaatt- In: which supports and. drives a. pair of: spaced circularwsaws H and. la: The particular manner in\ which. the saws are mounted and adjusted will be set forth in detail hereinafter. They may for the presenthe considered as rotating continuously: andas'spaced apart a predetermined distance so that a slug presented to them from a position parallel to the shaft ID will be trimmed at both its ends-.-

A slug, issuing froma' linecasting machine,

and usually having been previously subjected to side trimming and low slugging operations; descendsby gravityor, preferably; by suitable slug advancing mechanism of the kind disclosed in our co-pending' application entitled" Type slug side trimmer? Serial No. 417,346; filed" October 31', 1941, through a chute l3i (see Figs. 1 and 2) and comes to rest on atable, M which is slotted as at. IE. to. permit; the escape of' chips. formed as. residue of the sawing. operation.

The saws I I. and. 21 are. disposed. to. the right of. thetable IA'L and to its leitisa galley- 16. upon which the slugs are stacked after their. endsare cut, in. the. order in which they issue, from the linecasting, machines As; each. slug is received by, thetable. [4, it is brought to rest. directly in front of the saws by engagement, with. a stop bar t1. Thisstop bait is) formed as shown in Fig: 3;, with at sharpened forwardv edge; which cuts into the type: metal on which theslu is formed, upon impact: of. the: slug against in. in order to: limit any tendency or the slug; to redue: til the impact. The. stop. bar 11. is

mounted. one; threaded. stud: I 81 which: may be adjusted and fixed in position by a pair of lock nuts l9 and 20.

Immediately after the slug comes to rest in front of the saws, it is gripped between two sets of clamping jaws, each set of which comprises a lower jaw 2| and an upper jaw 22. These clamping jaws first draw the slug toward the rotating circular saws which sever its ends to produce a slugof exact length predetermined by the spacing of the saws, then push it back over the table 4, release it, and deposit it on the galley Hi. This sequence of operations is clearly illus trated in Figs. 5, 7 and 8 of the drawings. In Fig. 5, the jaws 2| and 22 are shown in their normal positions, with a slug 24 resting between them in the position it will occupy when it has come to rest on the table l4. Referring now to Fig. '7, the jaws are shown as having moved inwardly, the upper jaw 22 moving first to clamp the slug against the lower jaw 2| and then both jaws moving until the slug has been acted upon by the saws. The jaws then move outwardly or away from the saws, the lower jaw 2| serving to push the slug across the table 4 and onto the galley l6. During this advancing movement I of the jaws the upper jaw swings up through the positions indicated in dotted lines at A and B, so that the slug is released at the end of the outward movement and the jaws return to their normal position, shown in Fig. 5, to receivethe next slug to be cut. In Fig. 7 the slugs 24 are numbered from to 8, to indicate the order in which they issued from the line casting machine and to illustrate the fact that they are stacked in the galley in the same order. Upon I movement of the slug 8 from the position shown on to the galley, the stack of slugs I to 1 will be pushed to the left the width of one slug and each succeeding slug is correspondingly added to the right hand end of the stack.

The mechanism for supporting and operating the clamping jaws 2| and 22 to cause them to function in the manner just described is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10. Each set of jaws is slidably mounted in a guide (see also Fig. 6) and covered by a cover plate 3|. These guides are supported one by each of the saw guards which are adjustable with the saws, as will presently appear, so that the jaws always occupy the same position relative to the saws. As the sets of jaws are identical in structure and operation, one set only will be described.

The upper jaw 22 (Fig. 10) is carried on an arm 32, the inner end of which is formed to provide a fork 33 which embraces a bar 34 supported between the upper ends of a pair of levers 35. The levers 35 are mounted on a shaft 36 and adjusted and fixed relative thereto by means of an adjusting screw 31 and a set screw 38, both carried by an arm 39 which is pinned against rotation on the shaft, 35. The shaft 36 receives an oscillating movement, through drive means presently to be described, to advance and retract the upper jaw. The lower jaw 2| carries a fork 40 disposed at right angles to its inner end, and, as shown in Fig. 2, this fork embraces a double acting spring assembly which permits the lower jaw to move either in or out against spring tension.- This double acting spring assembly includes a tube 4| with a flange 42 at its inner end and a plug 43 threaded in its outer end. The fork 40 embraces the tube behind the enlarged head of the plug 43. A contractile spring 44 extending between the plug 43 and the inner end of the jaw guide 30 therefore imposes a ten-- sion On the lower jaw which resists its outward movement. a An expansible spring 45 surrounds the tube 4| and is interposed between the flange 42 thereof and the fork 40 of the lower jaw, resiliently resisting inward movement of the jaw. Upon outward movement of the jaw the tube moves with it, carrying the spring 45 in its nor-' mal position.

The jaws 2| and 22 are interconnected by a pin 45 on the lower jaw, which projects into .an elongated slot 41 on the upper jaw. Consequently the upper jaw moves inwardly independently of the lower jaw, from the normal position shown in Fig. 5 until the slug is gripped. Further inward movement is imparted through the slug to the lower jaw which compresses the spring 45 to load it for returning the lower jaw to normal. Upon outward movement of the upper jaw the end of its slot 41 engages the pin 46 as the jaws pass their normal positions and the lower jaw is moved outwardly against the tension of the spring 44, which later returns it to normal. To raise the upper jaw as it approaches its fully extended position, it carries a roller 48 which rides in a cam track 49 formed in the housing 30, and including an upwardly inclined portion intermediate its ends to swing the jaw upwardly about the center of the pin 46 by which it is connected to the lower jaw.

It is essential that the lower jaw return from its extended position to normal after each operation, as failure of either of the lower jaws to do so would cause it to obstruct the next slug descending onto the table M and prevent its being properly received and out. As the return spring of the lower jaw is liable -to fail or its return movement be hindered by chips or otherwise, a positive acting emergency return is provided. This emergency return includes an elongated lug 5U projecting from one side of the lower jaw and a co-acting lug 5| on the upper jaw. Lug 5| normally underlies lug 50 (see Fig. 7) but moves forwardly and upwardly as the jaws are extended to occupy a position in front of the lug 50, as shown in Fig. 8. Upon return of the jaws the lug 5| will engage the lug 50 and positively return the lower jaw if its spring fails, or it becomes jammed or stuck. As the jaws reach normal, the lug 5| assumes its position below the lug 50, so as not to prevent independent retraction of the upper jaw. Where the upper jaw 1 slides over the forward upper edge of the lower jaw, this edge is notched, as shown at 52 in Fig. 9, to prevent the accumulation of chips from the cutting operation.

The length of the slug after it has been cut depends upOn the spacing between the saws and |2, so these saws are made adjustable, one to accommodate slugs cast in diiferent sizes, and the other to determine the exact length of the finished slug. The saws are therefore both mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the shaft III by which they are rotated. The saw mountings are identical and each, as shown in Fig. 6, comprises a hollow mandrel which is slidable on the shaft l0 and keyed thereto by keys 6| which extend into longitudinal splines in the shaft. There are preferably two such keys 6| in each mandrel diametrically opposed for balance. The saw blade is held on the mandrel by a nut 62 which clamps the blade against a collar 63. This collar is backed by the inner race of a ball bearing 64 which in turn backs against a flange 65 on the mandrel.

The outer race of the bearing 64 is inclosed secured by screws to. the inside of the guard casting 6'!v and an annular marcelled spring 69, interposed between thisplate and the outer race of the bearing 64, retains the bearing against endwise movement in it housing. The outer race of the bearing fits loosely within its housing, so that while the saws are accurately aligned by being mounted on the same shaft, th castings which guard them need not be supported withthe same degree of accuracy, but may be moved radially for the distance of the space between the bearings 64 and the housing 66. Through this construction the saws may be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft ID by moving the guard castings 61. The bearings 64 are designed to prevent thrust play during this adjustment and during operation of the saws, though the saws are actually supported for rotation by bearings and Illa which mount the opposite ends of the shaft III.

The saw I2 ma be latched in several positions of adjustment, determined by spaced notches H (se Figs. 1 and 2) formed in the edge of the table I4. A sliding bolt 1 la, shown in Figs. 1 and 4, enters any one of these notches. The bolt Ha is carried by the saw guard casting 61 so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the casting relative to the shaft I9 when the bolt is engaged in one of the notches. The bolt I la is provided with shoulder screws 12 which extend through slots I3 to permit it to slide vertically and a link I4 connects the bolt With a lever I5 pivoted to the casting as at I6, so that it may be manually manipulated to retract the bolt when the saw is to be adjusted, and to advance the bolt into a notch for latching it in its-adjusted by the operation of the saw is adjustable by movement of the other saw through the mechanism now to be described.

As shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, the guard of the saw I2 supports a bearing I8 for one end of a threaded shaft I9, the other end of which is journalled in a bearing 80 supported by the framework of the machine independently of the saw II. The guard of the saw II is latched to the threaded shaft I9 by a latch 8| which has teeth registering with the threads on the shaft and which is pivoted relative to the guard at 82. A spring 83 is interposed between the tail of the latch and a handle 84 which extends upwardly from the saw guard normally to hold the latch engaged. A latch releasing lever 85 is pivoted at 86 and is connected by a link 81 with the latch SI, so that the handle 84 and lever 85 may be grasped simultaneously to withdraw the latch and to move the saw longitudinally of the shaft III While the latch is free of the threads on the shaft 19. This permits adjustment of the saw I I in increments equal to the pitch of the threads on the shaft 19. To effect finer adjustments the shaft may be rotated by a graduated hand dial 86 secured to its end, thus gradually advancing or retracting the point of engagement between is a rigidpartzof. the frame of'the machine. The saw; I2 is guided along the rail Si by a sliding connection between the rail and a block 92, shown in Fig. 4 as carried b the saw guard assembly. A similar block 93 (Fig. 5) guides the saw H along the rail 9I. The block 92 carries a plate 94 screwed to the scale so that adjustment of the saw I2 causes the scale to slide longitudinally of the rail-9|. The block 93 carries a plate 95' which overlies the scale to form a reference line for determining the.distance between the saws. upper end of the scale slides under a fixed ref- 'erenc line 96, which indicates the position to sition of the reference plate 95 at all times. The guard assembly of th saw I2 is preferably clamped in any position to which it has been adjusted by means of a bolt 91 (Fig. 4) which has a foot 98 at its lower end adapted to be drawn upwardly to cause a plate 99 to press against the under side'of the rail 9I thus drawing the block 92 into firm engagement therewith. A knurled nut IDI] is threaded to the bolt to draw it upwardly, and is of course loosened when the saw is to be adjusted along the rail.

The shaft II] which rotates the saws II and I2 is continuously driven through abevel gear I95 secured to its end, as shown in Fig. 2, and meshes with a similargear I06 pinned to a shaft ill! which extends through a transmission housing I08 (see also Fig. 11). The shaft I91 is journalled in bearings I09 and III) and has an end extending through the housing to be driven by some suitable power source, such as an electric motor with which it may be connected as by a pulley HI and a belt notshown.

The power for operating the gripping "jaws which feed the slugs to the saws and stack them in the galley may also be taken from the shaft I 97. As shown in Fig. 11, this shalft carries a worm II2 which drives a worm gear II3 on a shaft H4. Theshaft '4 also carries a worm II5 which meshes with a gear I16 rotating on a countersha'ft II'I; also mounted on the countershaft II! is a cam II 8 which is normally at rest but adapted to be clutched to the gear [I6 for rotation therewith for a single cycle when the gripping jaws are to be operated. The cam H8 has a cam groove H9 on its side, which receives a roller I 20 carried by an arm I2I. This arm is pivoted to swing from a center I22 and has its upper end connected by a link I23 with a crank arm I24 keyed to shaft 36 which, recalling Figs. 5, 7 and 8, i the shaft which carries the arms 35 which operate the gripping jaws. Thus each complete rotation of the cam II8 effects a complete cycle of operation of the gripping jaws heretofore described.

The cam II8 should be rotated once for each slug which is fed to the end cutting saws, and it is desirable therefore that the approaching slug trip some mechanism to cause engagement of a single cycle clutch to drive the cam with the gear IIB each time a slug is presented to the saws. Any suitable clutch and trip mechanism may be' employed, and a preferred mechanism for the accomplishment of this purpose is. illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13. In our co-pending application, entitled Type slug side trimmer, Serial When the lower saw I2 is adjusted, the I No. 417,346, filed October 31, 1941, there is described a machine for trimming the sides of a slug in which an approaching slug strikes a trip and sets in motion mechanism lfOl. forcibly advancing the slug and for guiding it in a proper path relative to the side trimming cutter.

The present invention may be used in conjunction with the side trimmer disclosed in said application and driven by the same source of power. In such a case the shaft II'I supports a cam I30 on the opposite side of the gear IIB,

I from that at which the cam H8 is disposed (see Fig. 12). This cam is clutched to the gear II6 for rotation therewith through a single cycle upon the approach of each slug, through mechanism fully described in the co-pending application above identified. When the two machines are used in conjunction, the end trimmer of the present invention follows the operation of the side trimmer after a short time interval. The cam I30 is therefore provided with a portion I3I of generally circular contour and having a raised portion I32 projecting from its periphery. At the proper time in the cycle of the cam I30 this rise I32 engages the end of a lever I33 which is mounted on a hub I34 on a shaft I35. The hub I34 also carries a clutch release finger I36 adapted to be withdrawn from its normal position within the slot of a spring pressed clutch pin I31. This clutch pin is normally held out of recesses formed on the side of the worm gear II6 by engagement of the finger I36 within its slot, so that it assumes the position illustrated in Fig. 12. When the finger I36 is withdrawn from the slot in the clutch pin, the pin is urged by its spring into clutching engagement with the gear I37, so that rotation of the gear imparts rotation to the cam II8. Due to the tapered shape of the end of the clutch finger I36, it will, upon being returned to its normal position, reenter the slot in the clutch pin, withdrawing the same to cause the cam to come to rest at the end of a single cycle.

In operation of the device as described, upon each rotation of the cam I33 the rise I32 engages the lever I33 to swing it, and, through the hub I34, to swing the clutch release finger I36 to its released position. After the clutch engages, the lever I33 and clutch release finger I36 are returned to their normal position by a spring or other means not shown, so that the cam I35 rotates through one cycle and effects a complete cycle of operation of the slug gripping jaws, as hereinbefore described, suitably timed with the descent of the slug that has issued from the line casting machine.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a type slug trimming machine, means to feed type slugs to cutters comprising a gripper jaw, means to reciprocate said jaw toward and away from the cutters, a second gripper jaw cooperating with the first jaw, resilient means opposing reciprocation of the second jaw, and means connecting the jaws to cause them to grip a slug upon movement in one direction and to release the slug and then repel it from the cutters upon movement in the opposite direction.

2. In a type slug trimming machine means 'to feed type slugs to cutters comprising a gripper jaw, means to reciprocate said jaw, a second jaw normally spaced from the first jaw, spring means resisting reciprocation of the second jaw in two directions whereby movement of the first jaw in one direction will cause it to close upon a slug positioned between the jaws and then move the second jaw, and means whereby movement of the first jaw in the opposite direction will effect movement of the second jaw, elevation of the first jaw to release the slug and discharge or the slug away from the cutter.

3. In a type slug trimming machine, a paIr of jaws adapted to feed slugs to cutter members comprising means to reciprocate one jaw from a normal position toward the cutters, then back through its normal position and away from the cutters, means resiliently holding the other jaw in a normal position spaced from the first jaw, I

and a connection between the jaws causing them to cooperate in clamping a slug in one direction of their movement and to release the slug in the opposite direction.

4. In a type slug trimming machine a pair of gripper jaws to receive and feed slugs to cutter members and to feed the slugs away from the cutter members after they have been trimmed, means ror positively driving one of said jaws, resilient means for returning the other jaw from its position away from the cutter member to its normal position, and a connection between the jaws to insure such return upon failure of said resilient means.

5. In a type slug cutter having a pair of cutting members, grippers positioned to receive a slug adjacent the cutting members, means for reciprocating said grippers horizontally, a roller carried by one gripper and adapted to travel in a cam slot whereby reciprocation of the gripper will effect raising and lowering of said one gripper.

6. In a type slug cutter having cutting members, grippers positioned to receive a slug adjacent the cutting members and slidable to and away from the cutting members to present the slug to the members and to eject it after it has been cut, means [for reciprocating one of said gripper connections between the grippers to cause them to close on the slug during their movement toward the cutter and to release the slug as it is ejected from the cutter and means to raise one gripper relative to the other during ejection to permit the slug to be pushed against a stack of slugs previously cut.

CHARLES W. CURLE. THEODORE C. CURLE. RAY F. NEWTON. 

